WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin did a brief interview with TMZ Sports earlier this week to promote the WWE RAW Reunion special where he spoke about his belief that fellow pro wrestling legend Ric Flair is the great wrestler of all-time in his opinion. 

This isn’t the first time that Austin has made his opinion known as he did so prior to interviewing flair on an episode of his podcast where Austin pitched his case as to why Flair should be considered the greatest of all time [GOAT] in the world of pro wrestling.

“He’s the absolute greatest of all-time to ever lace up a pair of boots, and the greatest world champ of all-time.”

Steve Austin & Hulk Hogan End WWE RAW Reunion

He also gave praise to former WWE Champion Hulk Hogan as he noted that Hogan was such a huge name in his right with putting wrestling on the map but he noted that Flair is someone he holds near and dear to him. 

” I’ve been down in the dumps too and I’ve had guys reach out to me and it’s helped me out when I’ve been in a bad time. So, any kind of support that i can be there for Ric, I’m glad. I’m proud to be his friend, a close friend.

And, I wish him nothing but the best. He’s a very special human being. They broke the mold when they made that guy.”

WWE Hall of Famers Hulk Hogan and Steve Austin made their returns on Monday’s episode of RAW at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida for the special RAW Reunion.

As seen on the show, Hogan cut a promo on the stage alongside Ric Flair and several other legends about how it was great to be back on RAW in front of his hometown crowd. 

This led to Austin walking out to the ring to a huge pop. He cut a promo about hanging out with Hogan last night, listening to stories from Flair and visiting with other people. He talked about all of the dues that the wrestlers on the stage have paid.

He gave a toast to everyone in the arena and everyone around the world as he sees them as family. All of the legends started drinking to close the show. 

• WWE RAW Results & Live Coverage (7/22)

This marks only Hogan’s third appearance on WWE programming since being welcomed back into the WWE family. He was last seen on January 7th episode where he would cut a promo to reflect on the life and career of the late great fellow WWE Hall of Famer “Mean” Gene Okerlund. 

This marked Austin’s first appearance on WWE television in several months as he was last seen on the RAW 25 Special back in January 2019 for a segment with Shane McMahon and WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon where Austin performed a Stone Cold Stunner to both men.

After Cody took an unprotected chair shot to head at All Elite Wrestling’s recent Fyter Fest show, discussion has once again resurfaced over the dangers such impact can induce.

Jim Ross recently joined “Stone Cold” Steve Austin on his podcast. The two eventually addressed Shawn Spears attacking Cody with a weapon.

Overdone

“It’s like a lot of things in wrestling,” Ross said. “It’s overdone: A little goes a long way, and some of that stuff that we see and the chair is a perfect example, it’s a shortcut that people use as a crutch, and it’s overused.”

Ross admits he is not an advocate for people getting hit in the head, saying he’s “[…] not a big fan of it.”

“I’ll just come out and say what I would do: I wouldn’t do any more chair shots to the head. We’re done with that business. If I can’t have a team around me that are creative enough to get me the results of what I want in this angle or this storyline without having to scramble somebody’s brains for real, then I need to find some more hands cause we got the wrong staff here. Your last original idea died of loneliness, c’ mon.”

Special Occasions

Austin agreed with Ross’ sentiment that chair shots are overdone. He added that “In this day and age—a one-off here or there, because if you don’t make it so frequent…and it is unimaginative at this point in time.”

He continued, saying “[…] I’m not gonna say ‘in defense of it’ I’m just saying when you’re on the receiving end, it is a calculated risk. If a guy is willing to take that risk, I say more power to him, but then there comes that trust factor as well.”

Jim would give his rebuttal, arguing that the problem lies with everyone wanting to have the chair shot in their back pocket for a “special occasion.”

The problem being that “a special occasion may be different definitively than their special occasion. So as long as they have that option, they’re going to go to it as often as they because ‘this is my special occasion.'”

H/T To WrestleZone.com for the transcription.

Steve Austin has opened up about his controversial 2016 ‘Stone Cold Podcast’ interview with the Dean Ambrose, now known as Jon Moxley.

The interview, which aired on the WWE Network, became an awkward, intense exchange between the two after Austin suggested that Moxley wasn’t pushing himself hard enough. He suggested that Moxley needed to find his edge—an issue addressed in his recent interview with Talk Is Jericho.

The discussion arose whilst Austin was interviewing All Elite Wrestling (AEW) President, Tony Khan, for his podcast, The Steve Austin Show.

“We Never Were On Track”

“For whatever reason, we got off on the wrong track,” Austin admitted. “It was a rough podcast. I have been carrying around 1,000 pounds on my back ever since that happened. I felt so bad about that interview, and I was leading the interview. I take the fault of it because I’m there to get people over and make them come off like a million bucks. We just came off on the wrong street and just kept taking left turns and never got back on track, well we never were on track. He had his reasons, and I had mine.”

Following the interview, Austin reached out to Moxley and ended up having a half hour conversation to clear the air.

“There was never any animosity towards us, I didn’t know how he felt about me, and I thought he might hate my guts,” he said. “We got back on the same page, he never hated my guts. I think he’s going to come down to Los Angeles whenever he wants to and we’re going to do the podcast together.”

Jon Moxley has admitted that he wouldn’t have hesitated to have hung up on any other interviewer. But because it was Austin, it gutted it out.

If, and when, the two sit down once more in the future, the end result will probably be dramatically different.

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

WWE Hall Of Famer, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, has revealed the wrestlers he considers his favorite opponents of all time.

Speaking with Dale Earnhart Jr. on Dale Jr, Download, Austin discussed the people he enjoyed working with the most as he recalled some his top moments and matches in the squared circle.

Blood From A Stone

Austin spoke highly of his feud with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, highlighting WrestleMania 17 as a particularly memorable bout. He also reminisced on wrestling Vince McMahon, and how their feud transcended wrestling. He stated that for two years, their rivalry became mainstream water cooler talk.

Other notable legends “Stone Cold” mentioned included The Undertaker, Triple H, and Mankind. He then spotlighted one man in particular: fellow Hall Of Famer, Bret Hart.

Steve Austin believes the trust and respect the two had for one another—a mutual respect he claims was present from day one—allowed them to have truly memorable encounters. Their feud would culminate in a bloody clash at WrestleMania 13.

He considers that match an exclamation point to their feud and spoke about the moment he had to blade for the match, referring to it as a rite of passage based off what he had watched coming up in the industry.

“Stone Cold” Steve Austin recently offered advice to wrestlers who are considering leaving WWE. He made his comments during an appearance on Dale Earnhardt’s podcast.

Austin noted that anyone considering leaving should make sure they depart the company in such a way that momentum is on their side.

“If you got some feelers out there and you’re trying to network other things based upon you having a high Q rating or a lot of television exposure, and you get your hands into different things, do it,” Austin said. “Right now (WWE) is your bread and butter, but starting planting those seeds right now so when you spin out of this you come out with momentum.”

Austin continued to say he wished he hadn’t of waited as long as he did to start his acting career after retiring from wrestling.

• Steve Austin Responds To Kevin Owens’ Use Of The Stunner

Stone Cold On What Made Him Popular

Austin also noted how things were different back when he was at his peak. He was asked about who he feels is the next “Stone Cold” and he hesitated to answer.

“That’s a tough question to answer right now,” Austin admitted.

“Do you see those guys in this current climate?” Earnhardt asked.

“When I got hot, I pushed the envelope,” Austin said. “I was saying words you could still say on television, I wasn’t dropping f-bombs, I knew what I could get away with. The deal was I wasn’t afraid to push the envelope, I wasn’t afraid to go out on a limb, so I did. And I knew I had to, and it was in me!”

Austin would continue to say there is more control and restrictions on the current roster.

“When you turn me up to 11, that’s me,” he added about his character.

Austin then suggested WWE could give their talent more freedom with their characters and stories.

Watch Steve Austin’s conversation with Dale Jr. here:

WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin took to social media this weekend to share video footage to coincide with a cool story he recently told on his Steve Austin Show podcast about Triple H saving him from a fan attack during a non-televised WWE live event several years ago.

“Triple H [is] a stand-up cat,” said Austin when beginning to tell the story behind the video. “He picked that dude up, slammed him and started punching his lights out. And he’s yelling to the security guard, ‘Get your ass in here!’ And the security guard didn’t know whether to sh*t or wind his watch. He was confused, you know? It happened so fast.”

From there, “The Texas Rattlesnake” went on to explain why he couldn’t join in on the beat down of the fan while everything was happening in the ring. He also spoke about a brief meeting he had with the fan backstage after the match.

“I couldn’t do anything, I couldn’t help beat the guy up, I’m the babyface,” said Austin. “But Triple H was watching my back, and he beat the snot out of that guy.”

Austin continued, “I went backstage and I had a couple of words with the guy. I didn’t take a cheap shot at him or nothing like that, but I had a little ‘Come-to-Jesus-meeting’ with him and let him know how I felt. But I always gave Triple H credit for doing that.”

Check out the video that goes with this story below courtesy of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s official Twitter page (@SteveAustinBSR).

A story about how it was and is..RT @90sWWE: That time @TripleH saved @steveaustinBSR from a fan attack… https://t.co/nI2qeaShtd

— Steve Austin (@steveaustinBSR) May 18, 2019

Today marks the 20th anniversary of Steve Austin’s famous beer bath, one of the most memorable segments in the history of WWE television.

March 22nd, 1999 was the “go home” edition of Monday Night Raw before WrestleMania XV. The Attitude Era was in full swing and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin had his sights set on The Rock’s WWE Championship.

With The Rock aligned with The McMahon family and The Corporation, the odds were stacked against Austin. As we all know, people are most dangerous when they are cornered and their backs are against the wall. What unfolded was a moment fans are still talking about to this day.

With The Rock, Vince and Shane McMahon in the ring, Austin drove a Coors Light beer truck into the arena. He then hosed them down with beer in a scene so wild it has to be seen to be believed.

On Friday, The Rock reflected on the beer bath 20 years later. The Rock commended Austin for being his “tough SOB” brother, since Austin was dealing with a broken neck at the time. In order to limit their physicality until their match, they had to get creative on the road to WrestleMania.

As Rock put it, “The result was one of the most entertaining segments ever to take place on LIVE TV.”

WWE’s YouTube channel has released a clip of former WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch reenacting the Austin: 316 promo to celebrate today, March 16th.

Both fans and WWE stars have been posting things about the speech on social media through the day.

This speech made famous by WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin at the King of the Ring pay-per-view event after being Jake “The Snake” Roberts. It’s truly an iconic promo.

Since she turned heel last year, Lynch has transformed her character to be one of the biggest stars in the company and not just in the women’s division.

Part of that success is due to the way that WWE has been booking her as of late. Many fans think that she is as close as a star can be to Austin.

WWE has already announced that Lynch is set Charlotte Flair and WWE Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey for the title at WrestleMania 35 on Sunday, April 7, 2019 in East Rutherford, NJ at MetLife Stadium.

Although not confirmed, there’s speculation that this contest could end up taking place in the likely main event. If so, this would mark history as there have never been women to headline a WrestleMania in the past.

In case you missed it, this week’s episode of SmackDown Live saw the return of Kevin Owens. He would be introduced by Vince McMahon, who informed Kofi Kingston that he would be replaced by Owens in the WWE Championship matchup at the upcoming Fastlane event.

Owens also happened to bring something else back that Tuesday night: the Stunner.

Not only that but an effective Stunner that ended the match after he managed to hit it on “The New” Daniel Bryan. This would give the impromptu team of Kevin Owens and Kofi Kingston the victory in their tag team effort against Daniel Bryan and Erick Rowan.

He would reach out to the man who pioneered the move as a finisher, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin:

“Hey @steveaustinBSR, I finally figured it out!”

Now, “The Rattlesnake” has responded to Owens bold claim.

“Highly effective. When executed properly the results are complete devastation.”

Highly effective. When executed properly the results are complete devastation. RT @briantheguppie: 1998 ??

2019?@FightOwensFight @steveaustinBSR https://t.co/CadykEAQav

— Steve Austin (@steveaustinBSR) February 27, 2019

Austin accompanied the tweet with a nice video comparison of the two Stunners. One is Owens’ from SmackDown, the other is his own from WrestleMania XIV. That particular ‘Mania finish, accompanied by a three count by “Iron” Mike Tyson, saw Austin claim the WWF Championship for the first time back in 1998.

“Stone Cold” has been critical over the use of the Stunner by other Superstars in the past. He has not only lambasted Owens for his prior attempts but was equally unimpressed when John Cena started using a springboard variation of the move.

The WWE Universe welcomed back Kevin Owens last night as he returned to SmackDown Live. “The Prizefighter” was introduced by Vince McMahon, who referred to him as “more deserving” of facing Daniel Bryan at Fastlane. Mr. McMahon’s decision would lead to Kofi Kingston losing his opportunity at the WWE Champion — something The New Day took issue with.

Despite this turn of events, however, the two Superstars would end up teaming together by the end of the night. They would face off against “The New” Daniel Bryan and his partner, Erick Rowan.

The match would end after Owens managed to hit Bryan with a Stunner, allowing him to scoop up the victory.

This isn’t the first time that KO has used the Stunner. In the past though, it has led to some pretty lukewarm feedback from the man who popularized the move: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

This time, with Owens able to end the match with the finisher, it seems things are different, as Owens tweeted out to Austin, saying: “Hey @steveaustinBSR, I finally figured it out!”

https://twitter.com/FightOwensFight/status/1100595564046139398

“Put Some Stink On It, Kid”

“Stone Cold” has been pretty vocal about his disdain regarding Superstars using variations of the Stunner in the past. His frustrations stemmed from the move being devalued, as it wasn’t used as a move to end the matchup. Instead, it was just another move.

When Owens used the manoeuvre in the past, Austin actually tweeted:

“Damn. I guess I gotta teach @FightOwensFight how to do a GD Stone Cold Stunner. Put some stink on it, kid. @WWE #royalrumble”

Damn. I guess I gotta teach @FightOwensFight how to do a GD Stone Cold Stunner. Put some stink on it, kid. @WWE #royalrumble

— Steve Austin (@steveaustinBSR) January 30, 2017

Hopefully “The Rattlesnake” will be happy to see the Stunner returned to its status as a true finisher.

“Stone Cold” Steve Austin loves what Becky Lynch is doing. The WWE Hall of Famer says “The Man” reminds him of himself.

Austin called into Sirius XM’s Fight Nation show Wednesday night and spoke to hosts Miesha Tate and Ryan McKinnell about Becky Lynch’s skyrocketing popularity.

“She does remind me a lot of myself, cause if you line up that women’s roster and you said ‘Hey, I want you pick my next break out superstar’ I don’t think you’re gonna pick out Becky Lynch and I damn sure know you wouldn’t have picked me out of a line-up.”

Stone Cold believes Becky Lynch has worked her tail off, studied the game and has a chip on her shoulder. WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon provides talent with opportunities and lynch has made the most of them.

Any time WWE has cooled her off, she’s forged ahead and kicked down every door she’s had to. “So I love what she’s done, I love what she’s doing. I like her swagger and she is the hottest thing going right now and she’s not a person that’s dwelling on ‘this is going to be the most athletic match in the world.’”

Austin added that Becky Lynch is a great worker, but it’s her character that he finds most appealing. He loves her “The Man” gimmick.

“I think it’s an awesome gimmick and it’s money.”

Listen: Steve Austin Endorses Becky Lynch

“I love what she’s doing. I like her swagger. And she’s the hottest thing going right now.” — @steveaustinBSR with high praise for #TheMan @BeckyLynchWWE to @MieshaTate and @RyanMcKinnell@BustedOpenRadio pic.twitter.com/fp54UCsxrL

— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) February 14, 2019

Former WCW President Eric Bischoff just threw out a comparison that has been making the rounds as of late. Now-former SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Becky Lynch has been getting comparisons to Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin. Lynch has become, arguably, WWE’s biggest star in recent months. After turning heel on Charlotte Flair, the WWE Universe really began to get behind “The Irish Lass Kicker.”

She went on to capture the SDL Women’s Title at the Hell In A Cell pay-per-view (PPV) from Flair. However, she recently lost it to Asuka in a Triple Threat Tables Ladders and Chairs (TLC) match. That’s thanks in part to some interference from RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey. With that being said, Lynch is undoubtedly one of WWE’s hottest stars at the moment.

Its been quite some time since fans have gotten behind a Superstar the way they have for her. During a recent edition of the “After 83 Weeks” podcast, Bischoff explained his comparison between Lynch and Austin:

“I’m more of a Becky Lynch fan right now than I have been a fan of anybody in the last fifteen years. It’s because about two weeks ago I began noticing her social media, tweets, the messages she was putting out…

“If she has somebody writing them for her, I want to know who that person is because they are a really smart writer. If she doesn’t have somebody [writing the tweets] for her and she’s doing it herself, she’s going to be the next Stone Cold Steve Austin for WWE because she is a believable character.

“Forget about what I’ve seen on television. I’m not discarding it, but setting it aside. Her ability to capture my imagination on social media was profound. I mean, I went, whoa! She’s got it! She’s becoming so believable and unique and you can’t teach that.“

What do you think of Bischoff’s comparison between Lynch and Austin?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2alxPmRda_8&feature=youtu.be

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

In the late 90s and early 2000s, there wasn’t a hotter star in professional wrestling than Stone Cold Steve Austin. “The Texas Rattlesnake” has produced some of the biggest pops of all time, is one of the greatest characters WWE TV has ever seen, and was the face of the Attitude Era. Austin inspired an entire generation of youngsters that would eventually go on to be today’s sports mega-stars.

Just a few weeks ago, Portland Trailblazers point guard Damian Lillard arrived to one of his games in a Steve Austin mask. He also carried the Smoking Skull WWE belt around the arena. The scene made quite the buzz on social media, and even got a response from Austin on Twitter.

Over the weekend, another sports star paid homage to Austin during his game. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce hit one of his teammates with a celebratory Stone Cold Stunner. Kelce hauled in the opening touchdown of the Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders game on Sunday. Check out Kelce’s Stone Cold Stunner here:

@steveaustinBSR Travis Kelce with a stunner after the touch down !! pic.twitter.com/ozA08XOir6

— Todd Evans (@toddevans418) December 2, 2018

The Chiefs went on to defeat Oakland 40-33, and remain a top favorite to potentially win this year’s Super Bowl.

What do you think of Kelce’s touchdown celebration?

WWE Hall Of Famer Steve Austin recently revealed on an episode of The Steve Austin Show that WWE officials originally wanted him to wear a singlet as ‘The Ringmaster’ when he first signed with the WWE. This is where the former WWE Champion brought up how he started wearing more of what he wanted to wear once he realized that officials didn’t care to pay attention to what he was doing.

Austin recalled telling them that he didn’t want to wear a singlet but rather he wore green trunks for a few episodes of television when he first made his debut. In fact, he still had his Hollywood Blond boots as he asked them what he should bring to wrestle in.

“They said, ‘naw, man, just bring your old boots,’ so I knew they didn’t have [any] plans for me.” Austin continued by stating that when he noticed that they weren’t paying attention, he started to wear all black and that’s what he continued to wear for the rest of his career.

For years now, Austin has been regarded as one of the biggest stars in the history of the sports entertainment company. He has feuded with the biggest names in the history of professional wrestling including Vince McMahon, The Undertaker The Rock, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, Triple H and the list goes on and on. He has held nearly every title that the company has to offer.

Prior to interviewing fellow WWE Hall of Famer Ric flair on a recent episode of his podcast, Steve Austin pitched his case as to why Ric Flair should be considered the greatest of all time [GOAT] in the world of pro wrestling.

The former WWE Champion stated that if you know anything about professional wrestling, you know about Flair. “If you have any common sense, Ric Flair is the greatest professional wrestler that ever lived.”

He continued by stating that when you look at his body of work, all of the world title defenses, promos and in-ring skills, then everyone should know that Flair is the man. Austin stated that he tried to basically pattern the beginning part of his career after Flair, which is a sign of how big of an influence he was on Austin.

He sees Flair to be one of the toughest men he’s ever met in his life due to all of the spots that he has done and living the lifestyle that Flair had then he was burning the candle at so many ends and what a glorious career he had. He brought up how Flair did that for nearly 40 years.

Austin brought up how there shouldn’t be any discussion of how good Flair is. “Yeah, he is that good. He’s the greatest to have ever done it.”

When asked recently on his podcast, ‘The Steve Austin Show,’ which current superstar he would enjoy working a final feud with, Austin came back with two interesting answers.

First up is the current WWE Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar.

“I’m good friends with Brock Lesnar,” said Austin, “and it’d be fun to work with Brock ’cause I was supposed to all those years ago.”

“Stone Cold” is actually referencing a storyline that was meant to occur in the early 2000s. That feud would have seen him go one-on-one with Brock Lesnar, back when Lesnar was known as “The Next Big Thing.”

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Austin famously “took his ball and went home” and left WWE because Vince McMahon wanted him to lose to Brock Lesnar on Monday Night Raw with virtually zero build up.

The second name? Well, turns out that Austin wants to walk with Elias.

“I also really think Elias is doing well. I’d like to work with that guy to elevate him,” he admitted. “I think he’s on his way to being a top guy.”

“I’ve known Brock forever and we’re good friends,” Austin reiterated, “but Elias has been making more and more progress. The character is coming around. The guitar work is great. Damn good hand in the ring. Great gimmick. He’s working baby[face] now and I think that’s great.”

If he were to do it one last time, who would you want to see “Stone Cold” feud with?

In an interview with Steve Austin, Kalisto credits Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio with inspiring him to pursue a career in wrestling.

Kalisto sat down with Stone Cold Steve Austin at 317 Gimmick Street on the latest episode of The Steve Austin Show, and discussed what Eddie and Rey meant to him as he was starting out in the wrestling business.

“Eddie not only made noise in the Latin community, he made noise everywhere. Same with Rey,” Kalisto said. “Eddie and Rey set the world on fire and they made some noise. You know what? That inspired me to actually follow my dream,” he said.

“Rey, when he won his world title, he did a book signing at my college in Chicago. I met up with him. I was five months in wrestling,” Kalisto said. “When I saw him, I said ‘I’m in the process of being a luchador, I’m learning so much, and you’re a good inspiration.’

Kalisto continued.

“At the time, I didn’t know he was going to win the title. And when I met him, he’s a little shorter than me, and that gave me inspiration. If he could do it, I could do it.”

Kalisto said that he would have loved to have had the opportunity to meet Eddie as well, but that in a sense, he can tap into Guerrero’s knowledge now, through his friendship with Mysterio.

“Rey, right now, he’s giving me so much advice. I told him I wish I could have met Eddie and picked his brain. And he taught Rey so much, and now I’m picking his brain.”

Kalisto also discusses being able to provide inspiration for the next generation, breaking in, his career, and much more. The full interview can be heard below.

When quoting this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity.

https://youtu.be/DNOtwNBLgFs

Steve Austin Praises Charlotte Flair & Ronda Rousey

WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin has given some high praise to WWE RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey and former SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair following their match at Sunday’s (November 18, 2018) Survivor Series pay-per-view event in Los Angeles, California at the Staples Center on the WWE Network.

He took to his official Twitter account where he made a bold statement by writing, “Finally-Professional Wrestling is back. @RondaRousey and @MsCharlotteWWE ripped it up at #SurvivorSeries. That was a good F’n match. @WWE.” Also, Rousey took to Twitter where she sent a warning to Flair by stating that their feud isn’t over yet.

Finally-Professional Wrestling is back. @RondaRousey and @MsCharlotteWWE ripped it up at #SurvivorSeries. That was a good F’n match. @WWE

— Steve Austin (@steveaustinBSR) November 19, 2018

This isn’t over @MsCharlotteWWE https://t.co/tk5zP9LTWN

— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) November 19, 2018

Seth Rollins – Shinsuke Nakamura Reactions

WWE Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins and United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura battled it out at Survivor Series with Rollins coming out on top in their match at the pay-per-view event. Following their match, they went to Twitter to give their reactions, which you can see here:

Rollins: “Worlds colliding in the only place it can happen. I’ll see you again @ShinsukeN, thanks for the fight, but Ambrose is all that matters now. #WWETLC.”

Nakamura: “I have let you down, your Majesty. @WWERollins is a worthy competitor, I will be prepared for another battle. #SurvivorSeries.”

I have let you down, your Majesty. @WWERollins is a worthy competitor, I will be prepared for another battle. #SurvivorSeries pic.twitter.com/Ix28lvetWR

— Shinsuke Nakamura (@ShinsukeN) November 19, 2018

Worlds colliding in the only place it can happen. I’ll see you again @ShinsukeN, thanks for the fight, but Ambrose is all that matters now. #WWETLC

— Seth Rollins (@WWERollins) November 19, 2018

WWE Hall Of Famer Steve Austin recently did a  fan Q&A session on The Steve Austin Show where he talked about a wide range of topics including the tremendous impact that fellow WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross had on his legendary professional wrestling career.

Austin brought up how he watched Ross on Mid-South Wrestling and NWA television while growing up. He also shared a story about how Ross helped him get signed to WCW.

Austin stated that he got a call up to WCW and that Ross was one of the guys that lobbied for him to be signed then they hit it off as they both like football. He recalled Ross knowing that he played college football. Thus, due to the Oklahoma Sooners – Texas Longhorns rivalry, there was a bond and Ross respected and liked football players.

He thinks that Ross liked guys that were athletic, salty, easy to work with, not people that are toxic or that are trainwrecks. “So, man, me and Jim always hit it off and we became the best of friends.”

For years now, Austin has been regarded as one of the biggest stars in the history of the sports entertainment company. He has feuded with the biggest names in the history of professional wrestling including Vince McMahon, The Undertaker The Rock, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, Triple H and the list goes on and on. He has held nearly every title that the company has to offer.

WALTER appeared on the latest edition of The Steve Austin Show and covered his career, his wrestling influences, and more.

WALTER On His Wrestling Influences

When discussing who he patterned himself after, WALTER brought up some of the Americans that made a name for themselves working in Japan. He mentioned Stan Hansen, Bruiser Brody, and Terry Gordy specifically.

Naturally, Hulk Hogan’s name came up as well. “Don’t let anyone tell you Hogan can’t work,” Austin said.

“I’m not a believer that wrestling has to be crisp and perfect all the time,” WALTER said.

The Indie Grind

The grind of the indie scene is a common theme when Austin interviews independent talent, and WALTER touched on that here as well.

“Even though I’m really busy, I try to have a good private life. I always try not to jump 100 percent into the life of pro wrestling where I’m really caught up in it. After weekends where I work, my body is sore but my brain is fried too.”

“I’ve had times in the last month where it felt like I was just visiting my girlfriend’s place, rather than feeling like I was coming home… I like to be home and be a normal dude.”

Breaking In

As the topic shifted to breaking into the business, WALTER revealed that he gave up a solid career in another industry to pursue wrestling.

“I had a good real job, I worked at a logistics company, I started there in an apprenticeship on the warehouse, but I worked my way up. I had my own office and I was in charge of a hundred people.

“It was a good job, money was fine and everything. But at the end of the day, you have to care about stuff that is not your real interest,” he said.

WALTER’s Sports Background

WALTER also spoke about his athletic background, as he was something of a high-level youth soccer player growing up. He played as a goalkeeper but chose not to pursue playing professionally.

WALTER attributes that to the fact that in Europe, you need to decide as a young teenager whether or not to pursue a professional football career.

He says that he started getting interested in other things at that age, and chose not to stick with the sport.

WALTER also discussed his personal life and the indie scene in Europe when he first started out compared to now. He also touched upon his work with the WXW wrestling school, his legendary chops, and much more.

A clip from the show can be found below. The full episode can be found here.

When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited for clarity.

Whose influence do you see in WALTER’s work?

https://youtu.be/VEvuPM_siYc

Steve Austin and Joey Ryan chopped it up as Ryan stopped by 317 Gimmick Street on the latest edition of The Steve Austin Show.

Over the course of the nearly 90 minute conversation, Ryan discussed online criticism of his work, the tough sledding that comes with being an independent wrestler, and how long he sees himself making a living in the business.

A Polarizing Figure

Ryan, of course, is something of a polarizing figure in the wrestling industry. Some see an entertaining wrestler who has made a niche for himself in a crowded wrestling landscape. Others, particularly traditionalists, and some vocal hardcore wrestling fans, accuse him of killing the business.

“Online, people call me a piece of s*** on a daily basis. I see that every day, and it’s tough sometimes,” Ryan said. “I go online and I read negative feedback and it kind of gets me a little bit.”

Ryan said that he tries not to focus on the negative, particularly the harsh words from diehards, as he sees himself as more of a wrestler for casual fans. “My audience is casual fans who aren’t as invested in wrestling,” Ryan said. “They just want to be entertained.”

Ryan also said that he reminds himself that the vocal minority is not the measuring stick for his success or failure in wrestling. “How often I get booked, my t-shirt sales, all that stuff, I have to look and see that the positive outweighs the negative.”

Life On The Indies

The life of an independent wrestler is a busy one, Ryan said.

“I work hard, and it’s not just bumping or doing moves. I travel, I don’t sleep, I have to agent my own bookings. I’m independent. I have to negotiate my own deals,” Ryan said.
Ryan also wants to work as much as possible. “Sometimes I overbook myself, whether it’s smart or not.”

Retirement

As the discussion turned to potentially winding down his career, Ryan mentioned that he might see himself in more of a behind the scenes role in the business in the not too distant future.

Much of that, he says, will be determined by his hustle. “It depends on how healthy I can keep myself, and how relevant I can keep myself. I’m working a less is more style now. This character is a blessing too. It plays at conventions, it plays at autograph signings, it doesn’t necessarily have to be in the ring,” Ryan said.

Ryan also told a funny story about meeting Kevin Sullivan, discussed All In, and covered a variety of other topics. An excerpt can be found below, while the full episode with Steve Austin and Joey Ryan can be found here.

When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited for clarity.

What do you think of Ryan’s comments? Do you think he is killing the business?

https://youtu.be/fHArxzxjVso

On the latest Edition of The Steve Austin Show Unleashed, Stone Cold gives his take on the state of promos in the wrestling business.

Austin is known for his intense interview style, which he credits to his time working with Brian Pillman in WCW, and his brief stint in ECW.

“I was forced to keep up with him or get left behind,” Austin said. “Through my stop in ECW, everyone in that dressing room could cut a promo, so it was sink or swim.”

Austin feels that that intensity, and a certain authenticity is missing from today’s mainstream wrestling product.

“I think there’s some micromanaging on WWE on the main roster,” Austin said. “Before I had my neck injury, a promo was you go out there with some bullet points.”

Austin pinpoints a shift in WWE’s philosophy right around the time he returned from that neck injury in 2000.

“When I came back from my neck surgery, that’s when they started doing this scripted type thing,” he said. “I was able to pull that off, but I never quite felt the same about what I was doing.”

“Sometimes less is more. And I can see in someone’s eyes when they’re trying to remember something,” Austin said. “One promo sells tickets. The other one’s kinda like, eh.”

Austin also tells a funny story about rooming with Rick Rude, and discusses his favorite country music artists.

You can listen to the full Steve Austin Show Unleashed episode below.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S2r52IXisE]

Do you agree with Austin’s take on promos?

Brian Pillman Jr. was the guest on the most recent episode of Talk is Jericho.

Host Chris Jericho and Pillman Jr. covered a wide range of subjects, including Pillman’s memories of his father, who died when the younger Pillman was just four years old.

“Growing up, I knew he was a big deal in wrestling, and I knew that he was a famous person in that business, but I more or less thought that people would forget about him,” Pillman said. “I was so wrong about that.”

Training For Wrestling

Pillman also discussed his decision to get into the wrestling business, and specifically his choice to begin his training in Calgary with Lance Storm. He said that his father’s ties to the city were one reason for his choice, but perhaps not the driving factor.

“I did my research,” Pillman said. “Who’s the best trainer? I want to be in the most professional training environment.”

Pillman also said that Storm presented him with the pros and cons of the wrestling business before he agreed to take him on as a student.

“More or less, I was led to believe by my mother and my family that this would be bad for me, that it was going to do all this harm to me, that it killed my father and all that. But then you meet guys like Lance and you [Jericho] that, it didn’t kill you, you’re still making a good living,” Pillman said. “All these people that say wrestling is terrible are wrong.”

Football

Pillman also spoke to his decision to go to college before entering the business. He said that while he had impukses and ideas of following in his dad’s footsteps right out of high school, ultimately he chose to pursue an education first, so that he would have something to fall back on.

Pillman talked about his high school football career, and how it paralleled his father’s football career as well. Both played defensive line, and in spite of their small stature, both were successful. “I went to the d-line, and at 185 pounds, I was just manhandling dudes,” he said.

Steve Austin

Steve Austin was a pivotal figure in the elder Pillman’s career, and the two were tag partners in WCW.

In the interview with Jericho, Pillman Jr. mentioned that Austin reached out to him via Twitter. Austin would later send the younger Pillman a weightlifting belt that belonged to his father.

Austin also reached out when Pillman Jr. recently suffered a knee injury, and offered some moral support and advice.

Other topics covered in the interview include a very early interaction with Triple H, different training philosophies, choosing a functional hairstyle, and learning moves.

The full interview can be found below.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVr92Bx2-wY]

What did you think of Jericho’s interview with Pillman? Will we see him in WWE one day?

Former WWE star Bob Holly was recently a guest on WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin’s podcast, The Steve Austin Show. Holly signed with WWE back in 1994, after having served as a jobber for the company before in 1991. He lasted 15 years with WWE before being released in 2009.

During his time with the company; Holly won the WWE Hardcore Title six times, was a three-time WWE Tag Team Champion, and also captured the NWA World Tag Team Titles with Bodacious Bart. Over the course of his career, however, Holly developed an addiction to pain pills.

He opened up on the situation while speaking to Austin:

“When I broke my neck, I did end up getting into the pain pill thing and getting on those. And I was able to get off that stuff. And so, but that wasn’t easy, so I had to have help. I wrote about that in my book.

“I had to have help to get off that stuff and I did. But that was the worst I did. I didn’t get into the alcohol. I didn’t get into the cocaine. I didn’t get into anything heavy like that. I mean, I did steroids. Whoop-dee-doo.

“But that goes without saying. When I broke my neck, that was the worst, the heaviest I got into anything as far as that you shouldn’t be doing, but, like I said, I got off that and everything. I never drank and I never did anything else.” Holly explained, “I started taking too many [pills] and I was like, ‘this is ridiculous – I’ve got to stop,’ so I did.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK0ol1O_6o4

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions